1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network system, a broadcasting system, etc. for carrying out the management of data transmission and reception and data storage (or data accumulation).
2. Description of the Related Arts
Transmitting means by broadcasting and wired networks are available as means for delivering data to an indefinite number of users. In recent years, digital broadcasting via satellite waves has been put to practical use, and the transmission of video and audio contents, data and the like through multiple channels has been realized. In addition, digital broadcasting via terrestrial waves has become active for practical use. Furthermore, contents can be received through receiving apparatuses, such as television sets, home video systems or personal computers. Still further, media for accumulating (or writing) data are increasing in capacity and diversity.
Various proposals have been made for data storage (or accumulation) methods by utilizing the characteristics of the above-mentioned broadcasting systems, receiving apparatuses and storage (or accumulation) media. Furthermore, various proposals have also been made for storage (or accumulation) methods for data transmitted through digital wired networks.
For example, a proposal has been made wherein data provided from public telephone lines is received and accumulated, and unnecessary data is deleted on the judgment on the taste of the user of a storage medium (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. Hei 10-91686). Furthermore, a proposal has been made wherein, from a substitute apparatus for accumulating all broadcast data, data is captured automatically on the basis of the judgment on the taste of a person on a storage medium used by the person. When data is transferred or copied from a receiving apparatus with stored data to a receiving apparatus having a storage medium on which data transmitted via a broadcasting systems or a digital wired network is not accumulated, the data is transferred from the receiving apparatus through a removable storage medium or via a network.
When storing data transmitted by a transmitting apparatus by using automatic storage means on the basis of judgment on the personal taste of a user, judgment wherein a standard based on fixed personal attributes not subjected to time-series changes is used as a standard for judgment on the personal taste of a user depending on daily living environments is made. Hence, in the case of the above-mentioned data storage, the personal taste cannot always be judged properly, whereby data not conforming to the personal taste at a certain time was accumulated automatically in some cases.
Furthermore, in the case of automatic storage of data on the basis of the judgment on the personal taste, the judgment on the taste of plural persons was not carried out, and data was not able to be accumulated or shared automatically and simultaneously among plural persons. Hence, just as in the case of data transfer and copying among plural receiving apparatuses, in order to share data among plural persons, data desired to be shared was stored on storage media removable from receiving apparatuses, and data to be shared was sent by exchanging storage media among plural persons or via a network.